Visitors to the Buffalo Creek Nature Park in Altona will be delighted to see that the bridge has reopened.
The 80 ft. long structure was boarded off for much of July to refurbish it with new cedar planks. It reopened just in time for the Manitoba Sunflower Festival. The jut-outs, which provide a place to stand and enjoy an aerial view of the eight-acre park, have also been completed.
Recreation services manager Eric Hildebrand says the bridge has been a favourite for walkers, joggers and cyclists since the park was created about 30 years ago.
“The leaders of the time chose a natural green space, which was a welcome addition to the already developed green spaces nearby. It provides a contrast from the mowed meticulous park on one side. You walk a short distance over and you’re in a more natural setting, with tall prairie grass. The trail that runs through it provides a recreational space. There’s fishing off the dock in summer, and tobogganing and skating in winter. It’s been a phenomenal addition to the community.
“That long red bridge is an integral part of it, providing a view of the whole Nature Park and it gives you a nice vista of the prairies to the west.”
Over the decades, the cedar planks have been replaced here and there as needed, but about 95 per cent of them were still from the original construction.
“Over time, the planks were showing their age more and more from the original installation,” Hildebrand said. “From a safety and aesthetic standpoint, we felt it was finally time to completely refurbish it with new planks to avoid any issues. It was part of our capital planning for this year. We felt that if we really wanted to breathe new life into it, and extend its life, it was time to replace all of them.”
He gives Altona parks maintenance staff member David Sawatzky credit for much of the work in the project.
“He and the rest of the staff sourced all the lumber from Blue Sky Opportunities. It’s high, so a lift was required to work on the middle portion. Planks were cut to size at the Curling Club.”
Hildebrand says the final cost for this capital project actually came in below budget.
“We allowed for a $10,000 cost, and we were able to come in at about $6,500 for lumber and hardware. Fortunately, we didn’t have to worry about labour costs, because our park staff were able to do it. The flip side of that was that it took a bit more time. It looks great and should last for many years to come.”
